NEW
YEAR MESSAGE
FROM ARCHBISHOP
GREGORIOS OF
THYATIERA &
GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND
Dearly Beloved in the Lord,
Since we have entered the New Year 2013,
I am writing to greet you and wish you a happy New Year, peace in the world and
in your homes, progress for the Church throughout the globe, health and joy and
every blessing of the Lord on young and old.
These have been days of special joy and
blessing for Christians and for people everywhere. We celebrated the Nativity
of our Saviour Jesus Christ “in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of King Herod”[1]
over 2,000 years ago, “when Augustus reigned on the earth”.[2]
Christ’s entry into the world remains a
unique event which changed the course of human history. It is of such
significance that it separated history into two - B.C. and A.D. We are
privileged to be living in this new period of Christian history. We are blessed
to live, foster, and renew our life and our faith in Christ, to enrich it with
wisdom and good works, and to be able to praise the Holy Trinity. Particularly
blessed are we who hold the Faith of the “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
Church”, which we confess at every Divine Liturgy.
2012 was a year full of good and
historic events throughout the world, but especially in the United Kingdom,
which celebrated two such events in particular.
First, the Olympic and Paralympic Games,
in which thousands of people from all around the globe took part; inspired by
the Olympian ideals, they gave joy and satisfaction to millions of people as
they watched the Games, either in person or from their televisions. It was only
the third time in the history of the Games that they were held in London. I am
quite certain that the Olympics inspired many young people to foster the
Olympian spirit; a sense of honour and healthy competition, teamwork and
solidarity, and all the beautiful ideals of athleticism.
Secondly, we celebrated with due
splendour and enthusiasm the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen
Elizabeth II, who, together with her husband, Prince Philip and all the members
of the Royal Family, has contributed enormously to the life of this country and
its people. Therefore, the whole nation participated in the celebrations with
pride and singular loyalty. And not only did Britain celebrate the Queen’s
Diamond Jubilee, but all 57 countries of the Commonwealth and, indeed, much of
the rest of the world.
Cyprus hosted the Presidency of the
Council of the European Union, which was an occasion of great interest and
significant success, despite the economic crisis worsening there over the past
year. It was a great honour for the people of Cyprus and its Government. I am
sure that it will play a part in resolving the Cyprus problem, which lingers on
38 years after the invasion and the expulsion of 200,000 Cypriot citizens from
their homes.
Meanwhile, Greece continues to be
troubled by the economic crisis, but its people go on patiently and adamantly
hoping for a better future. Nonetheless, and despite all the efforts being made
by its Government to improve conditions, the crisis goes on unabated. But I am
confident that the Leaders of the European Union will continue to endorse
financial, moral and political support to Greece, in order that it may soon
come out of the crisis and begin its path to recovery and posterity.
Let us begin the New Year 2013 with
faith and renewed hope for peace and progress in the world, despite the
economic difficulties and the political and social unrest, and particularly the
violence throughout the Middle East. These problems are a scar on the face of
human civilization and dignity. Yet Christ, by His Own participation in our
reality, seeks to heal the sorrows which plague and wound the human body and
soul, to restore the image and likeness of God in which we were made.
Fortunately, many voices throughout the
world are crying out with a message of hope to fill us with optimism and faith,
with an expectation of a better, more just and peaceful future. With that same
hope I pray to God, Who is worshipped in Trinity, that the world may this year
overcome all the troubles facing humanity today: financial problems,
unemployment, poverty, crime, war, violence, religious fanaticism, and discord.
Humanity must find peaceful, spiritual, moral and righteous ways of solving all
these problems and healing the wounds of modern societies.
Every new year is a blessing for us,
because it grants us an opportunity to start over, to put our lives in order
and to restore a more spiritual basis to our lives, to cultivate reconciliation
with our selves, with society and especially with God, that we may live worthy
lives and redirect our present lives and our eternal futures to the will of
God. The great Church Fathers, Desert Fathers, Poets, Philosopher and Seers,
who have the grace to study and see the future, saw all things with a
theological mind, and put their trust in God, “the only unchanging and
everlasting being, the Creator of all”.[3]
They did not become attached to the world and to the things of the world, but
envisioned a world “made of angels”[4]
and forever heading toward God’s Kingdom - a Kingdom which man dreams of,
studies and builds in this life, and which is fulfilled in the true and eternal
life where is “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning
and the End”.[5] The New Year
brings with it new ideas, new dreams, and engenders new hopes, joys and
expectations. Let us therefore open up our hearts with fervent prayer and
faith, that the message of these days may take root there. Let us contemplate
God’s will so we may partake in the creation of a new world that will transform
society, will free humanity from evil and selfishness, and will embrace the
love of God for all His Creation.
May our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whose
grace and blessing we have begun the New Year which we hope will be peaceful,
happy and full of works that are “good and profitable for humanity”, guide the
steps of young and old to the glory of the Lord of Time, and for the praise of
humankind, who lives in time and fashions it by his own earthly life. And I remain
with love in the Lord and esteem.
London, January 2013
Gregorios,
Archbishop of
Thyateira &
Great Britain
This is a very encouraging New Year message. Thanks for sharing it with us. May the Lord bless you and all the Orthodox here in the UK.
ReplyDelete